For whatever reason, the dialogue quality dropped tremendously after episode 1. Let's take a random episode 1 story cutscene (small font because it's kind of long):

Fourier: Do you hear that? Sounds like metal on metal.<br>Is someone fighting?Guntram: Aww, come on. Come on! Giant piles of iron and that's as<br>tough as you are? Pathetic! You're just gonna leave me<br>bored?!Fourier: Horrible. I can't watch any more.Guntram: What's this? Sorry, kids, but this is my little playground.<br>Find your own spot.Guntram: Wait a sec. Forget the whiny cast a minute. You, I've<br>seen before.Melphon: One "<%me>," Guntram.Guntram: Oh, yeah. The one that was with the mask. Silly me,<br>forgetting the name of my prey.Guntram: So, you bring your masked friend with you this time?Guntram: Or are you here to entertain me yourself?Guntram: What do you want, cast? I got no use for you.Fourier: Y-You're the one who's been rampaging around here.<br>Aren't you?Guntram: Rampaging? The hell are you on about? I'm just doin' my<br>job.Guntram: That's what we do, see? We drop down on a planet and<br>we clean up the mess there. That's all.Fourier: That's not all! Our duties include making contact and<br>fostering communication with intelligent native species!Guntram: Ugh, you take everything you read in a recruiting<br>pamphlet at face value?Guntram: How's a guy supposed to make nice with the natives when<br>they could be D-arker-infected killing machines? Eh?!Guntram: You're with me on this. Aren't you, <%me>?(Choice) 1. Nod. 2. Shake your head.

Option 1: Guntram: Right?! Heh, I knew you and me were the same type.<br>I can smell it on you. Fourier: <%me> is nothing like you! Guntram: Nothing like someone blind to the pain and suffering of<br>others! Guntram: Hah!

Option 2: Guntram: Aw, ain't that sweet? Guntram: But you and I are the same. I can smell it. And you're<br>crazier than I am if you think some pretty words can<br>hide that.

Guntram: Huh? The hell is this little freak? I don't like being<br>stared at, fluff ball.Guntram: Heh, guess the D-arkers've got to it. I bet it's just<br>itching to attack some poor, innocent ARKS op.Guntram: Guess I got no choice but to put it out of its misery!Fourier: No!Guntram: Huh?Fourier: Are you okay? Go. Hurry, you have to run.Guntram: You're gonna take a hit for your enemy? That's so far<br>past stupid, I ain't even got the words.Fourier: They're not the enemy! They... They saved my life. Now<br>it's my turn.Guntram: And you? You with her, <%me>?Guntram: Pfft, you don't get it. You just don't get it.Guntram: Yeah, they're all cute now. Wait'll they get contaminated.Guntram: You think they'll like going berserk? Killing their own?<br>Killing their families? Ending them now is a mercy!Guntram: Best watch how you're lookin' at me, cast.Guntram: Hmph. You killed my buzz. Mel, we're leaving!Melphon: Yes, sir. Good day to you, <%me>.Guntram: Move your ass, Mel! I ain't waiting on you!Fourier: I'll be fine. Just some light surface damage. Heh, my<br>resilience is about the only thing I have going for me.Fourier: And... I know. He's right. At least in part.Fourier: Exposure to the D-arkers' influence drives organisms<br>mad. Once they lose control, there's nothing to do but<br>euthanize them. I know that.Fourier: This whole effort to pay them back is just for my own<br>sake. To make me feel better for what I've done. What<br>I may have to do.Fourier: It may just be delaying the inevitable, but still,<br>I want to have faith. For as long as I can.Fourier: Thank you... Were you worried about me? That's very<br>sweet, but I'm fine. See? Fine!Fourier: Heh heh. Still skittish, I guess. But there's enough<br>of a connection there to hope.Fourier: I have to believe the time I have left will be enough.<br>Until then, I'm not giving up.

(Chapter 3, "Tyrant in Dunes" path (retitled "Sadist in the Sands"))

Fairly solid. They sidestepped the Melphonsina/Sheena issue by completely dropping that (her display name is "Melphon", she gets called "Mel"), they renamed Gettemhart "Guntram" because... dunno, but I'm sure they had a reason. Each character has a distinct voice, even if it's a bit difficult to not read Gettemhart as "redneck" (that said, I really enjoy his lines).

Now... something somewhere in episode 2:

A.P.238/6/13/10:30Melphon: ...This place really has<br> unusually little D-arker aura about it. Melphon: So little that if Lord Guntram<br> were present, I bet he would<br> go mad with excitement...Melphon: ...Hmmmm, how I miss the old days.<br>Even though It still hasn't been that long, it already feels so nostalgic. Melphon: ...When I first met Lord Guntram, while he was given to extremes, was not so violent. Melphon: After all, he would play with me when I was young, and I'm sure he wasn't <br>hated by the others...not even by Lord Zeno...Melphon: But, I'm the one who ruined all that...Melphon: ngh!?<br>Wh..Who are you?!Melphon: Is...Is that me?!Melphon-B: １０ years ago..<br>D-arkers attack...the Apprentice incarnate...Melphon-B: Just after I came out...Just after <br>I was left out...To protect myself...Melphon: ngh!<br>I don't believe it!<br>It can't be...!Melphon-B: *pant*... *pant* ... We must...We must...push <br>forward.

(Episode 2 side story: I'm No Longer There)

Most obvious: Honorifics everywhere. If you've listened to pretty much anything Melphonsina says, you'll hear her talking about "Gettemharuto-sama"--in episode 1, they were all either dropped or handled differently (a few places it got rendered as "sir"). A few of the sentences simply make no sense (the guy who enjoys punching all the darkers would be thrilled by... the complete lack of darkers?), the numbers are still full-width(!), the formatting's a mess...

Basically, after e1ch8, the translation quality plummeted. I can point to the exact spot, even:e1ch8 (Descent of the Destructor):

Elder: Ahh, yes... Yes, yes, YES, YESSSS! Hah hah! Hah ha ha ha ha ha! Too long! It's been far too long! The air is sweet, the sky so blue! All creation, the perfect stage for endless, glorious combat!Zeno: That's not Guntram. Who are you? What have you done?!Elder: You dare address a Dark Falz? Bow deep, child of the ARKS! You stand before the Elder! Hah hah hah! This body... At last, a host thirsty for blood! A vessel worthy of the Elder! Rejoice, mortals! Your deaths will herald the coming of a new age!

End Cluster (that event tablet after you clear the Elder EQ):

Hu...huhaha...huhahahah! You want to force me back, huh...?! You, the one who stopped me on Kano. And now... Kuhuhuh, huhahahaha! Good...this is fun, ARKS! I've a reason for coming back.Apprentice: As soon as I'm back, I'm not only quickly destroyed, but happy about it? What went wrong those 40 years I was asleep?Elder: ...Who the heck are you? No...I definitely remember this feeling. I remember. You're [the Apprentice], right? That form is just a new vessel for you.Apprentice: I get it. But can I really say "new"? it's been ten years.Elder: And that pair over there that I can't stand ...you're [The Twins], aren't you? Hah, kuhahaha! All of you have gathered to greet me. A million thanks!Elder: ...But who is that guy?Apprentice: The newcomer. For now, you can call me "Persona". I swear. Even as [the Apprentice], I just don't know what kids are thinking these days.Elder: Kuhuhuh. If you plan on entertaining me, then that's fine.Apprentice: What's with that creepy laugh? You're a strange one, aren't 'ya?Elder: Not that you have any room to talk. ARKS… I praise your valiant efforts. But for now, you should withdraw. As long as this body is mine to control, I may start a war at any time...kuhuh, kuhuhuh. I'm going to toy with you for a long, long time. Struggle as much as you can, ARKS.

(Note: this is actually a revised version of the cutscene. It used to be worse.)

Misplaced pronouns all around, "that" ("that planet", in fact) being mistranslated as "Kano", Apprentice calling Persona a kid (that little rascal), ...Basically, it was google translated, and then they tried to make the results make sense (of course, google translate has progressed a bit since then, so it doesn't match up perfectly any more). This is not a viable option.

My original guess was that Sega had been working on an official localization back during episode 1, but then dropped it for some mysterious reason around e1ch8 (note: "Zeshraider" matched the OST name, but "Rigshrayda" does not--this is an interesting coincidence), and then Asiasoft helpfully mangled the rest. The problem is... well... they just got e2ch5/6 and the Loser fight.

They have competent translations. In fact, the event tablets connected to them have competent translations.

Risa: Hehehe... It's been a while since I pulled the trigger at you, hasn't it.Oza: I never thought I'd be facing off with you like this…Marlu: ... I believed in you. So why would you betray ARKS...?Matoi: ......no! It's not like that! <%me> wouldn't betray anyone!Oza: We'd like to believe that too, but.... Once you're dead it won't matter. Oza: ......evidence was shown in an information disclosure to all of ARKS. So we must kill you.Matoi: Why......? There's....... something strange about these people. Their words, their tones too......!Risa: No use, impossible, it's no good. No matter what you say, it's not going to reach Risa or the rest. Do you get it? This is the "Absolute Order", the unconditional command. We cannot oppose it. As each of the Three Heroes has said it, it is an order. They have requested that you are killed. Well, Risa doesn't particularly care about orders but….... killing people is fun, anyway. Fourier: <%me>. Relax. I'm not an enemy. I'd like to protect these people by killing you. So for their sake, please allow me to kill you.

(e2ch5, pre-fight dialogue with Ohza/Marlu/Lisa/Fourier)

[Loser]: Ugh......pant, pant...... My power is chisled off...... Is this that ARKS' power![Loser]: ......damn you, damn you ARKS! How dare you insult me such, me, me......! Hah......however, it's not over yet! Myself! So long as I exist the path to omniscience shalt not be closed! Regius: ......no, Luther. Your path ends here. [Loser]: Reg......ius......? Why are you here......?Regius: We've known each other a while. I didn't think you of all people will simply be deafeated, that's all. [Loser]: He, hehe......very well then! Work with me, Regius, participate! Lend me a hand! For me! For omniscience!Regius: To understand everything......? Luther, what are you going to construct once you achieve this. [Loser]: Don't question the value of knowledge to a scientist! To understand all matter, that is the purpose of my existence, the very value of my being! Regius: For such a thing, Arma had......[Loser]: Arma? Oh, the first Clariskrays! Yes, why yes Regius! How about a deal, why don't I revive her! I have enough data to do this! Using my......using the power of the Dark Falz [Loser], this is easy!Regius: Dark Falz......[Loser]. [Loser]: What? You even seem surprised? You too must have had an inkling? You were obeying with that knowledge? Regius: Yes, while having taken notice, I wasn't able to do anything, for a superficial peace. A fool I was. Clutching onto an already long lost hallucination of the past. A fool I was. ......this is what I am. That is the Three Heroes. Regius: ......but that will end here. [Loser]: R-Regius......?Regius: ......Luther, you had said before. My blade exists to eliminate the D-arkers. Well then, now is the time!Regius: ......finish it, Yonohate. Regius: Arma......perhaps now, ARKS will return to the form you had always wanted it to.

(Post-Loser cutscene)

They do seem to have a bit of an............... ellipsis fixation, though. Also the occasional spelling error ("deafeated"), and they forgot how they localized certain things (the "Six Pillars" are now "Hexagons", the "Three Victors" are now "Three Heroes"), and the formatting's occasionally weird, but the dialogue is coherent and just kinda pops, and that's more important to me.

Not sure if anyone's pointed this out, but... we got a new OST tracklist, so it's worth revisiting a couple of the SEA choices. They don't have episode 3 yet (as far as I know; my way of grabbing their data files is... defunct now), but a couple of the tracks tie in with things they have already.

Disc 1, track 16: Anga FhandargeWe had issues figuring out how to render アンガ・ファンダージ. I mean, "Anga" is fairly simple, if meaningless; anyone who played PSU remembers that axes used that for their PAs (e.g アンガ・ジャブロッガ, Anga Jabroga). The second half... well... the closest thing we had to a real lead was that "ファンダージ" is very close to "ファンタシー", which is how they render "Phantasy" (not to be confused with ファンタジー, "Fantasy"--note the シ versus ジ), but...Anyway! "Fhandarge". The SEA version doesn't have any ultimate areas, but it does render the "ファンジを破壊せよ！" emergency trial ("Destroy the Funji!") as "Destroy the Fhan-Jee".

Disc 4, track 10: Unfathomable DarknessSEA, obviously, does not yet have the Double/Profound Darkness fight. They do have Elder's original emergency quest (深遠なる闇の眷属【巨躯】, which we rendered as "Profound Darkness' Kin: Elder"), which they called... "Unfathomable Darkness[Elder]". Somewhat disappointing that they discarded the translation from the old series, but "Unfathomable Darkness" at least had the vibe of an intentional name, rather than just gibberish.